G'Day Trevor,Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
I am using aerosol can polyurethane. This one is a gloss finish. I hope it will cover the tape quicker than Tru Oil.
This stuff.....
https://cabots.com.au/product/cabots...oil-spraypack/
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G'Day Trevor,Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
I am using aerosol can polyurethane. This one is a gloss finish. I hope it will cover the tape quicker than Tru Oil.
This stuff.....
https://cabots.com.au/product/cabots...oil-spraypack/
Hmmmmm....the tape is very thick and is going to take some covering.
I think I will let it hang for a couple of days and then do some wet sanding and see if it loses its edge.
I am liking the body....it has 2 x 3 coats of poly on it now. I will let it hang until next week....and then wet sand to 600 and see what I have. I may have to buy another tin. I think I should have sealed the body with CA glue first as it is soaking up the poly like a sponge.
Trevor,Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
How did yours go? I have sprayed and sanded three times now and the edges of the tape are still easy to see.
The waterslide decals are way thinner and easier to hide. I may have to consider them for the next one.....again.
I had to go to the BIG Green shed today...and here on the sunny coast an Officeworks is right next door.
So after reading some stuff...watching a video or two...I have decided to give making my own conductive shielding paint a go. I got some graphite powder for about $5 from the tool shop of the big green shed, the water based acrylic paint was $10 from Officeworks and the paintbrush was $1-70....I did not need the containers but I thought why not....$3-00.
So lets see how conductive I can make it.
Keen to see how that works out
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Setting up your own version of the Frankenwashie Lab in Buderim?
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Oh does Frankie do the same stuff? Maybe I should read his threads....it may save me some time. Thanks. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
Don't think so. It just sounded like an Egor type of experimental activity.
I have used conductive shielding paint a few times but bought pre made stuff on eBay.
Tend to think your idea should work.
Cheers Waz
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This stuff is not easy to work with. WARNING...graphite is evil. It will get into...dust over...anything and everything.
Lay out some paper towel before you start.
The ratio was listed on one YouTube video was volumetric....imperial though....1 ounce of paint to 3 x teaspoons of graphite. So a google conversion from USA volumes to metric gave me roughly....30ml paint to 3 x 5ml (15) of graphite.
I have a measuring cup and that works well for the graphite.....then just tip it into the container. (Oh get a bigger one then mine.)
The paint measures fine as well. But how do you get it out....it is like honey....lots of end of spoon scraping.
Mixing was fun too.....dribbles of water and end of teaspoon stirring until no more gritty feelings.
I have a consistency of a thick shake will a little fine ground salt in it. One small strip on a double layer of paper towel.
The absorbent nature of the towel may be closer to unsealed wood than I thought. I will leave it for an hour and put another layer on.
I have dug out my multi-meter and will see firstly if we have continuity and then see if I can measure the resistance. Maybe somebody here would be able to advise if the end result resistance is any good as a shield to R.F.I.
Lunch Time now.
After one hour we have no continuity....and we have 2.9k ohm resistance. Maybe that is the resistance of paper towel?
Interesting number though.
Another coat of paint on the paper and leave for another hour and check continuity and resistance again.
Nope so far.
I got nothing from the paper after four coats.
I have now got three coats on an old cheeseboard and no go.
Today I have added some more graphite and stirred in some water and the graphite. Now I have two coats and no connectivity again.
Tomorrow stir in some more graphite and try again I suppose.
Hi Ozzbike,
the 2.9 k ohm resistance sounds reasonable(!) for a thin layer. But I'm not sure what you should be expecting!
A 10 cm pencil line drawn onto paper typically has a resistance of somewhere between 10 k ohm to 100 k ohm - the variation depends on the type of pencil (or type of wax or binding agent holding the graphite lead together). At least you got less than that.
What was the resistance of the 3 coats?
Does the graphite powder conduct without the paint? Does the wet paint (with graphite) conduct?
Also, how are you measuring the connectivity?
Trevor,Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
Not much action I am afraid with this stuff.
I have read a couple of other things on the internet...and watched this fellows video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhxjzbxmDxA
I have added lots of graphite to the mix...little water each time. I have stirred and shaken with each addition and before each coat.
I am using the digital multi-meter pictured.
The top black line on the second pic has scratches from the red and black probes....not missing coverage. The bottom one has about four coats of varying ratio of graphite to paint to water.
I am now getting some continuity giving digital number readings when the probes are about 30mm apart now. I still don't get a consistent steady reading on resistance.
I will keep making tests and adding graphite until I either run out or get continuity and a steady measurement resistance.
FWIW, I tried testing a factory Fender that had shielding paint and couldn't get a beep out of my DMM.
Ah...now things are starting to make sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by McCreed
Maybe shielding paint is just that, a shield.
Conductive copper tape creates continuity that we send to ground and thus the RFI from lights etc is sent to ground and the pickups allowed to remain quiet.
I will keep adding graphite to see if I can get continuity....as I have come this far. Maybe using a big bottle next time will help.
Well, more is always better, right??? :confused:Quote:
I will keep adding graphite to see if I can get continuity....as I have come this far. Maybe using a big bottle next time will help.
Maybe you need to use a battery & led bulb as demonstrated in the video?
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Ha Ha...cheeky man.Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
I have weird numbers on the meter...but they are consistent across the painted section now. No continuity beep....but I am getting numbers so something must be happening.
That will do me now. I will have to think of how I can connect each cavity to the next. I think I may cut a small square of the copper tape...stick that to the painted wood and solder a wire to that.
This one is nearly done....ho ho ho.
I have sanded (wet) at 2000 grit a couple of times all over the guitar body.
Then 4 coats of Turtle Wax Light to Medium cleaner Polishing Compound. Then 4 coats of Meguiar's Ultimate compound, and then 4 coats of Meguiar's Scratch X 2, and then 3 coats of Bowden's Own Paint Cleanse and Restore, and then one coat of Bowden's Own Carnauba Body Wax.
The two on the bed (the gold/brown looking thing) have been this morning buffed with one coat of Bowden's Own Lazy Wax, and then one coat of Bowden's Own Fully Slick.
I will let it hang now as I do the neck...and then it may get some more hand waxing and buffing.
The finish is not crystal clear, but I think it is a great outcome for hand polish/buff only.
Looks good Ozzie. You gotta be happy with that finish.
By coincidence I have been checking out some of the same Tubes as you and was ready to pull the trigger on the DIY conductive paint. But I think I have enough copper tape for my next project so I might do some more research first. Plus my next will be single coils so it will need good shielding.
Cant wait to see #38 when she is finished.
rob
Very nice!
I have done 4 coats of the paint now.....still NO continuity. I have to have the probes about 20mm apart to get some sort of reading on the multi-meter. I get great continuity from each little square of copper foil to the next...with a wire soldered to each point....duhhh.
So having a huge roll of the copper tape with me I attacked the pickup routs and the control cavity. This guitar will have the Rebel 90's from Tonerider in it. They are humbucker sized P 90's, so I was expecting some serious noise. Well now we have the best of both worlds I suppose.
Four coats of shielding paint and then a layer of copper foil tape. The continuity lights up across the board....nice. The wire in each pickup rout is under the tape...and the bridge earth wire is in through a tiny pin prick hole.
Neck time. Up to wet sand at 800 grit on the back of the neck and headstock to try and hide the "Head Case" decal there. The front took 1200, 1500, and then 2000 to work....so even though I am using a satin finish now, I still think it will be that many times to hide the thicker sticky tape.
Edit:- I think I will keep the paint as I have some older builds, basses in particular, that could benefit from it. I think I will water it down a little and drop in heaps more graphite.
Edit Edit:- Will the chrome metal control plate benefit from tape on its underside? I was thinking of just running a thin strip of foil around the lip of the cavity with a little tape on top and connecting down into the cavity. I would think that the chrome metal would act as an RF inhibitor....maybe it is copper etc that has the special ability?????
The control plate will act as a shield, as it's conductive. In theory, it will be grounded by the signal ground, i.e. the output jack ground is connected to the volume pot, which in turn is connected to the control plate through the pot's chassis. Having said that, I would run a strip of the copper tape over the lip of the control cavity so that it's in contact with the control plate. That might also be how you get continuity between the output jack ground and the rest of the shielding, if it isn't otherwise connected, though you're probably better off soldering a ground wire from the shielding to the volume pot chassis to ensure a good connection.Quote:
Originally Posted by ozzbike
I have slid on a piece of heat shrink over the tip connector of the output jack. I have the contact side open....and the other side covered just in case it touches the inside of the hole. The jack socket will be a recessed tele style that will be square to the edge of the body at that point. I think the socket may stick across the hole a little.Quote:
Originally Posted by jonwhitear
I fully intend to solder a wire from one of the pots to the bottom of the control cavity. I think everything will then be connected from bridge through strings to pickups to pots to the cavities.
I use a nylon washer on the pots to shorten the amount of the pot shaft that protrudes and enable the metal knob a better fit. I don't know if anything actually touches the control cavity from the pots.....I suppose a multi meter will tell the tale.
I will not bother with tape on the under side of the cavity cover....but I did intend to put a little tape lip on the cavity to touch the control cover.
Thanks for the info. :)
Thank you...coming from you that is impressive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonic Mountain
I have to say I doubted the paint and have dropped back to tape...but over the paint.Quote:
Originally Posted by robin
I hope number 38 comes out nice...she is looking great right now.
You can use a second pot nut to achieve the same thing and still get conductivity via the control plate.Quote:
I use a nylon washer on the pots to shorten the amount of the pot shaft that protrudes and enable the metal knob a better fit.
I periodically buy extra pot nuts from Realtone just for this purpose. In the "olden days" you used to get two nuts with each pot, that cuts into profit too much these days :p
Plus, a second nut makes the pot bushing height adjustable.
OOOHHH very nice.Quote:
Originally Posted by McCreed
Edit. In this case the control cavity cover is metal....so would the mounting nut on the top provide connection for the pot? I think I will have to check it with a multi-meter. On other guitars/basses with the shaft of the pots coming up through the wooden top I think then some internal method of contact between the pots and the copper tape in the control cavity would help.
I couldn't agree more Phil, its why I do them I'm at 62 I've done, and 7 I'm working on now, I've given up posting them, try sitting in a wheelchair all day can't work anymore because of head injuries apparently I'm now a danger, go figure you got to try to shake off depression I don't let it worry me anymore as I've met people far worse than me I don't post comments this is one by Phil is a good one as he said there's no shame admitting it, well said Phil😎👌Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonic Mountain
Yes, the nuts and pot bushings are both conductive, so if the nuts are making contact with the metal control plate, shielding paint in a wooden cavity or shielding on the back of a plastic pickguard, there will be continuity.Quote:
In this case the control cavity cover is metal....so would the mounting nut on the top provide connection for the pot?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonic Mountain
Yes, well said.Quote:
Originally Posted by phrozin
GeeBus Phrozin....62 complete.....and 7 in the works. Much humble bowing here.Quote:
Originally Posted by phrozin
Yeah I find it very relaxing....and I play Bass okay....but six string guitar still escapes me.....but I do love a nice Tele.
Sitting in a chair all day would give me the shits like you wouldn't believe. I am glad you have something to keep yourself interested....it is seriously f$%^^& better than many other alternatives. I would love to sit and learn some of the stuff you know about painting.....pity I am in Queensland and you down there in South Oz.
Have you considered typing up a layman's painting guide? I would be seriously keen mate. I have a setup I got from Aldi really cheap ages ago. I have not had the guts to give it a go. I have a compressor, filter, regulator, finishing pot and gun. If you had some insights into using spray cans as well I think many here would love to read them.
I love it here. Great home to escape too. :)
The body has hung for ages now....and today it got some more wax...and a complete hand buff....no power tools at all.
I like this neck.....it has some amazing grain and figure that looks like dirt in a photo....but is really nice in real life.
The headstock is a maple stain and the fingerboard is golden teak stain.
I have to spray and sand a couple of coats of satin finish polyurethane on the back of the neck and it will be done as well.
You may not have noticed... but your nut is a little wonky. Might want to replace that... ;)
He’s a little sensitive about it.
Lucky you guys are around. I laughed at your comments.....buggers.Quote:
Originally Posted by WeirdBits
Yeah when I removed the plastic nut it broke....I have a Dingo Bass Bone one to go in. So when I was spraying the poly I jammed the biggest bit back in and filled the rest with a wad of paper towel.
So...smart eyes....when it is dry and waxed etc the real one will go in. :)
I have toiled over wiring issues with this build for weeks now.
Tonight I change out the switch, two other CTS pots, different cap and still very very very low sound electrically.
I am really thinking about taking all things wiring out of the body and starting again. This time without wiring grounding cavities...which is my only new thing.
I will also be scratching the paint away from the pickup screws.
She looks so nice...but is so very very very silent. Painful. Aaaaah.
I wish I was closer and could help, but I'm not and I can't.
So, sending good vibes instead. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What strings do you have on it?